bigtim6656

how many of you drive you quad or truck or what ever close to you location you plan to hunt and if you do what if anything do you do to quite your ride of choice

Buck Magnet

Yep, I take my quad on two properties that I hunt. It is pretty quiet as it is and the deer I hunt don't seem to be bothered by it at all. Now, with that said, I should mention that these deer are use to humans and vehicles, they see them on a daily basis as the property is between two highways, a airport, a maximum security prison, our county jail, and a housing development! They are use to hearing/seeing humans all day long.

Rob/PA Bowyer

You know it's been proven in areas that deer are used to atv's and vehicles that you can drive right up to your stand as long as the atv/vehicle leaves. If you drive it out and shut it off the deer recognize this as danger but if the atv/vehicle leaves, they relax.

This has been tried and true for many outfitters. The deer will even leave a field when the atv/vehicle comes and when it leaves, with a hunter in the stand, the deer come back out.

Utilize that if someone can drop you off...walking in does more damage.

Again, in areas where deer are used to it.

Buck Magnet

Rob is spot on with that, and to go along with that, if you do park near an area with deer, when you are ready to leave the sound of the vehicle starting will spook deer. The deer I described earlier aren't bothered by the sound/sight of a quad, and usually they don't mind when it is shut-off, but usually when you start it up they will sneek away.

SevenMag

can you explain this a bit for me??? seems to me that if you park it quite a ways off (say 1/2 mile or more) and walk it the rest of way you'd be better off... i'd certainly agree with the dropoff method, but most don't have that option...

Rob/PA Bowyer

Walking in leaves scent all over the place regardless of how clean/scentless we are plus being possibly viewed or bumping deer. Deer are less acceptable of a human walking then they are of a vehicle/atv. IF you walk into a field, the deer are going to white flag and go...probably for good that day. If you utilize a vehicle/atv the deer usually leave the field or watch you go by until you stop but if they leave the field, they hear the atv/vehicle move off they relax cause danger moved off with it. In a woods enviroment deer will many times including bucks just stand there and watch you ride by (depending on pressure) but when you walk by, they usually are gone long before you know it.

I personally walk to my stands as well, I don't have the luxury of someone to drop me off but to be honest, that's they way I'd do it. As a former partner in a outfitting business we utilized the drop off many times. It saved sending in a client alone to find a stand or even sending two of us in and scenting the area. Clients often said no sooner did we pull away, the deer came out behind us.

It saves time, energy, scent.

Again, this is for deer that are used to vehicles/atv's/tractors...just ask any farmer.

SevenMag

thanks Rob, makes sense to me as I'm also a snowmobilier, seen that happen SO many times... deer look at ya for about 10 seconds and go right back to doin whatever it is they were doin... guess i need to find a partner... :P

Hunter06FlKy

on my lease we drive trucks and atvs all the time. the deer aren't too bothered since motorcross races are run out there.they're pretty used to it. we've had deer and hogs get shot within a few yards of the bikes. they just don't seem to care.

GoodTimin86

Haha,

looks like you could offer a hand if anyone escapes. I mean by hunting the prisoners down. But thats scary stuff, I wouldnt want to get in the way of any of those guys.

Anyway, we drove our quads right past two does, about 50 yards away, and they didnt even budge. But when we walk in and spook them, gone. All the deer on our property a lot of times come in early morning when the sun is yet to come up, and we have spooked them a few times and totally ruined that days hunt.

We see more deer when we wake up late and get out there just after sunrise. Thats why I'm kinda pondering going out when there is a little light, so if any deer are around I can see them before its too late.

manuman

I have a Yamaha Rhino for retrieving downed deer, but not to go to the stand in. I have a mountain bike for when terrain allows. I can go quick, quiet, and scent free. Otherwise I walk in, careful not to touch anything except the ground with my boot bottoms, and I carry a turkey call to do a little diversionary calling to associate my noise with that of turkeys--it works. I can , what mnay woul dconsider , overhunt an area and see the same deer, if I am careful about scent while in the stand and whereI walk. For some reason,after I shoot one, and drag it through an area--i don't see as many deer afterwards!!!
There's also a couple of after market muffler silencers thatI have looked into--the Rhino is loud, especially pulling a hill.